PCI-Express communications system

ABSTRACT

To be able to transmit a response packet to the original request node after a bus ID/a device ID is replaced in the PCI-Express switch for a PCI-Express communication system, a unique node ID for indicating each node is set to the nodes. Additionally, it is confirmed whether or not the packet is transferred in the correct order in a series of packet transfers. For that purpose, a sequence code indicating the sequence number of a packet in a series of packet transfer is set in an address field of a packet of data transfer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/359,580, filed on Feb. 23, 2006, now pending.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-85307 filed on Mar. 24, 2005, the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-345822 filed on Nov. 30, 2005 and the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-143125 filed on May 23, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a communication system and communication method thereof, with PCI-Express used in an interface, and with a plurality of nodes connected through a PCI-Express.

2. Description of the Related Art

Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) is a standard for computer bus connecting between each part inside computers, and is currently applied to most of computers; however, specification of PCI-Express, which is faster transfer interface standards, is newly developed.

For example, as described in Patent Document 1, in the PCI-Express, in order to prevent skews between signal lines, which occur in a parallel bus, a serial link is applied, and packets are transferred a synchronously through the serial link. Also, the PCI-Express allows upgrade in units of layers, and therefore functions thereof are layered. By adding a header in a transaction layer to transmission data produced in number and a CRC are added to the head and the tail of the transaction packet, generating a data link packet. Finally, in the physical layer, it is converted to physical signals and transmitted through a transmission media.

Meanwhile, in the PCI-Express, between nodes can be connected by a switch (PCI-Express switch).

FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining the conventional PCI-Express communication system with each node (also referred to as a module herein) connected by the PCI-Express switch performing communication between modules A-n based on the PCI-Express specification.

In the following description, a part of the PCI-Express relating to the present invention is further explained.

According to the PCI-Express specification, a module, called a root complex, which is located on top of the upper layer, such as a module A(1) in FIG. 1 is required. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, each module has been assigned a bus number (BusNum.) and a device number (DeviceNum.) in each port of the PCI-Express switch (6). FIG. 1 shows an example that the module A(1) has the bus number of 0 and the device number of 1 assigned, a module B(2) has the bus number of 1 and the device number of 1 assigned, a module C(3) has the bus number of 1 and the device number of 3 assigned, and a module D(4) has the bus number of 1 and the device number of 4.

Next, packet communications between modules via the PCI-Express switch (6) is explained. There are two types of packet routing on top of the PCI-Express switch (6); address routing for routing according to an address comprised in a packet header, and ID routing for routing according to a requester ID constituted from device and action numbers, comprised in a packet header.

These two types of routing, in the PCI-Express specification, are separately used so that address routing is used for a request packet, and the ID routing is used for a response packet. Therefore, the address routing is used for a request packet for a memory write request command and a memory read request command. Note that a response by a response packet is not made to the memory write request command in this PCI-Express specification.

As shown in FIG. 1, (1) when a memory read request command is issued from the module D(4) and the module C(3), (2) the PCI-Express switch (6) transfers a memory read request packet to the module C(3) according to the address routing of the PCI-Express specification, (3)the module C(3) responds read data as a response packet. (4) The PCI-Express switch (6) transfers the response packet to the module D(4) according to the ID routing of the PCI-Express specification.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram explaining a GET transfer sequence, which reads out data from another end. Firmware in transmitting side starts up hardware in the transmitting side by generating a descriptor, which is for specifying data to be read out, in the memory. As shown in FIG. 2, transmitting side or transmitting source issues a memory read request packet as a GET transfer sequence, and transmits the GET transfer request to the receiving side according to address routing of the PCI-Express specification in the PCI-Express switch (6). In the receiving side, hardware in the receiving side starts up from the idle state by a receive-trigger of the receiving transmitted from the transmitting side. And after reading out data from the memory, a response to the GET request is returned as a response packet. The response packet is transmitted back to the transmitting side according to ID routing of the PCI-Express specification of the PCI-Express switch (6). There hardware in the transmitting side receives read data from the response packet, interrupts the transmitting side firmware by writing the data in the memory, and the transmitting side firmware carries out termination processing.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram explaining sequence of PUT transfer, which writes data at the other end. Routing of the memory write request, packet issued from the transmitting side is performed according to address routing of the PCI-Express specification as in the case of a GET transfer. And the receiving side does not make a response according to the PCI-Express specification (response is not generated in the non-posted memory write). For that reason, it was impossible for a requesting side to determine whether the write processing normally performed.

For example, assume a bus number and a device number are set in each port of the PCI-Express switch (6) as described in FIG. 1, and a memory read request packet as a GET transfer performed according to address routing of the PCI-Express specification. The module C transfers read data as a response packet, and the response transfer control is performed according to ID routing of the PCI-Express specification.

FIG. 4 shows a part of a header in the transaction layer of a packet used in the above sequence. A requester ID in FIG. 4 is information for identifying a module that transmits the packet and an address in FIG. 4 contains routing information for routing to a transfer destination. In the address of the response packet, the requester ID of the request packet corresponding to the response packet is set, and the PCI-Express switch (6) performs routing by using a bus number of the set requester ID when it is in the ID routing of the response packet and performs routing in accordance with the part in which the address in FIG. 4 is contained in the address range set in each port when it is in the address routing.

As shown in FIG. 5, with such a system, when the module A(1), which is the root complex, is separated, for example, due to an abnormality, such as abnormal voltage, chip defect, software problem, or maintenance, etc., because of the absence of the root complex, according to the PCI-Express specification any of other modules B-N is required to become a new root complex and a change is required in component information (bus numbers/device numbers) of each port that the PCI-Express switch (6) possesses. In an example shown in FIG. 5, after module A(1) separation, the module B(2) is the new route complex with bus-number 0 and device-number 1.

In FIG. 5, suppose (1) a memory read request is-issued from the module D(4) to the module C(3), (2)the PCI-Express switch (6) transfers a memory read request packet to the module C(3) according to address routing of the PCI-Express specification, and (3)at that time, the module A(1), which is a root complex, is separated due to abnormality. Then, (4) configure information of each port in the PCI-Express switch (6) is changed, the bus number and the device number are replaced (it may be referred to as ID replacement hereinafter), and the module B(2) becomes the new root complex. (5) The module C(3) responds read data by the memory read request command from the module D(4), and the requester ID at that time, comprises the bus number and the device number of the module D before the replacement. (6) The PCI-Express switch (6), because the packet transmitted from the module C(3) is a response packet, performs routing according to ID routing of the PCI-Express specification. (7) However, because the bus number and the device number are assigned to other modules due to the replacement, the response packet may be transmitted to wrong modules by mistake, or may be lost.

[Patent Document 1]

-   Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2004-326151

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be solved by the present invention is solved by being able to transmit a response packet to a target, which is the original request source node, even if, after issuing request from a node to another, a bus number/a device number is replaced in the PCI-Express switch before said another node makes a response to the request source node in a PCI-Express communication system, which performs communication between nodes using a PCI-Express switch.

In addition, these problems can be solved by being able to confirm whether or not the packet is transferred in the correct order in a series of packet transfers.

In order to solve the problem in the present invention, a unique node ID is set to each module connected by the PCI-Express. Dedicated channels are provided for each of writing data in a module at the other end (PUT transfer), and reading out data from a module at the other end (GET transfer), and a channel ID is set to each channel. The node ID and the channel ID are set in the address of a header of a transferred transaction layer packet according to the PCI-Express, and at the same time, a packet type for identifying whether the packet is a request or a response, and a sequence code indicating the sequence number of a packet in a series of packet transfers is set.

For data transfer, only the memory write request packet, being routed according to address routing of the PCI-Express specification, is used.

When a packet is request, the response is always made by a response packet (a response-type memory write request packet).

According to the present invention, because transfer means does not employ the ID routing, even if replacement of a bus number and a device number are caused in the PCI-Express switch, a response can be securely made to a module that issued a request.

A module in the receiving side analyzes the transmitted packet header, determines whether the packet is PUT transfer or GET transfer from the channel ID and whether the packet is a request or a response from the packet type, and performs a proper operation.

It is also possible to determine whether the memory write request command is executed in a normal manner or not by adding information to a response-type memory write request packet.

Moreover, it is possible to confirm whether or not the packet is received in the correct order on the basis of the sequence code.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining a conventional PCI-Express communication system;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram explaining a GET transfer sequence in a conventional PCI-Express communication system;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram explaining a PUT transfer sequence in a conventional PCI-Express communication system;

FIG. 4 is a diagram explaining a configuration of a header of a transaction packet in a conventional PCI-Express communication system;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a failure during a GET transfer in a conventional PCI-Express communication system;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram explaining failure during a GET transfer in a PCI-Express communication system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram explaining a part of a header of a transaction packet in a PCI-Express communication system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a GET transfer sequence on a PCI-Express communication system, according to embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram explaining a PUT transfer sequence in a PCI-Express communication system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a system configuration diagram, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an inner configuration diagram of a DMA chip, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a channel ID, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a diagram explaining a PUT transfer example, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a diagram explaining operations of a transmitting channel in the PUT transfer, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a diagram explaining operations of a receiving channel in the PUT transfer, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a diagram explaining a GET transfer example, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a diagram explaining operations of a transmitting channel in the GET transfer, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a diagram explaining operations of a receiving channel in the GET transfer, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the mode transition of the packet transmitted by each transmitting channel of the transmitting side DMA chip;

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a request-packet receiving processing flow in each receiving channel of the receiving side DMA chip; and

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a response-packet receiving processing flow in each transmitting channel of the transmitting side DMA chip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, details of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are set forth with reference to FIG. 6-FIG. 9.

An example in the PCI-Express communication system (100) of the present invention described in FIG. 6, is in the same state as an example in the conventional PCI-Express communication system described in FIG. 5. In other words, as in the case of FIG. 5, a memory read request, semantically, is issued from the module D (13) to the module C(12), at the timing when the module C(12) tries to return read data to the module D(13) in response, ID renumbering is caused by an abnormality of the module A(10), and a bus number and a device number of the module D(13) are changed from 1,4 respectively to 1,3 respectively, as in the case of the example in FIG. 5.

In the present invention, only the memory write request packet routed in accordance with the address routing of the PCI-Express specification is used for data transfer. Therefore, even if it is semantically a memory read request, a memory write request packet is used.

In the present invention, a unique node ID is set for each module connected to the PCI-Express. In an example of FIG. 6, a module A(10) is assigned the node ID=0, for a module B(11), a module C(12) and a module D(13), node IDs of 1, 2, and 3, respectively, are fixedly assigned.

In addition, dedicated channels are provided for PUT transfers for writing data to a module at the other end, and for GET transfers for reading out data from a module at the other end, and a channel ID is set for each channel.

FIG. 7 shows a configuration of a header field of the transaction layer packet used in the present invention. The shaded region is not explained as it is not related to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, the node ID (bit [62:58]), the channel ID (bit [57:51]) and additionally, a packet type PT (bit [45]), etc. are set in an address field (bit [63:2]). The node ID is the ID of the transfer destination of a packet. The channel designated by a channel ID is, as explained in detail later, assigned as a transmitting channel and a receiving channel to each of the following: PUT transfer, GET transfer, and message (MSG) transfer for message communication between nodes. Therefore, a channel ID of the reception channel of GET transfer is set for a memory read request, and a channel ID of the reception channel of PUT transfer is set for a memory write request. A packet type PT designates a type (0 or 1), which indicates whether a packet is a request or a response. In a packet for the MSG transfer, a channel ID for transmission or reception of the MSG transfer is set. The receiving side module determines MSG/PUT/GET transfer on the basis of the channel ID. Note that the MSG transfer, in the same manner as the PUT/GET transfer, uses a memory-write request packet routed in the address routing. It is possible, in addition, to request a response.

A channel ID of the packet transfer source is set to the tag field, and when the transfer destination responds with a response packet, the tag field is used as a channel ID of the response destination, in an address field of the response packet.

Further explanation of the setting according to the present invention is provided in relation to the above address part. Sequence codes (SeqCode) indicating the sequence numbers of a series of packets are set in the bit [50:46].

In a case in which there is a request packet, the transmitting side module assigns a number to each of the series of packets in ascending order at the time of request packet transmission. In the receiving side module, whether or not the packets are received in the above order is confirmed at the time of the request packet reception. If the packets are found to be not in order, a value is set to a status code explained later and a response packet is transmitted.

When transmitting the response packet, the receiving side module uses the same numbers as the sequence code in the received request packets. The request packet transmitting side module confirms whether or not the response packets are received in the order of request packet transmission at the time of the above response packet reception. If the packets are not in order, error processing is performed.

Address parts other than the above are assigned to a mode part (bit [44:40]) and a detail part (bit [39:02]).

The mode part indicates the mode of the packet. The first bit (bit [44]) of the mode part indicates the first packet (First Transfer) of the series of packets, and the second bit (bit [43]) indicates the last packet (Last Transfer) of the series of packets. The third bit (bit [42]) indicates that each of the series of packets requires a response packet (Request Response). The fourth bit (bit [41]) indicates that internal information has to be cleared (Clean). Here, the internal information is a set of information required for transferring (receiving) the series of packets in each module, and it is flag information representing “the series of packets being transferred”, for example. Among the series of packets, if a previously received packet is in process, the packet in process is treated as the internal information that is a subject to be cleared.

Next, the detail part (bit [39:02]) is explained.

In a case in which the packet type PT=0 and the channel ID is MSG, an extended sequence code of the sequence code of the bit [50:46], is assigned to the bit [39:32] and is used when the number of the series of packets is too large and the number of bits of the sequence code is insufficient. The bit [31:02] is zero.

In a case in which the packet type PT=0 and the channel ID is GET/PUT, the bit [39:02] is the same as the definition of the conventional PCI-Express.

In a case in which the packet type PT=1 (response packet), a response type bit [39:32], a status code bit [31:16], and an extended sequence code bit [11:03] etc. are assigned. The response type indicates whether it is a PUT/MSG response or a GET response by the bit value.

The status code indicates error contents when an error occurs in the processing of a packet that the receiving side module received. The status code indicates normal end if the codes are all zero and indicates a detailed error number if the codes are other than zero.

The extended sequence code is for sequence code of the response packet in the GET transfer.

In the following description, a GET transfer sequence of the present invention for executing a memory read request is explained with reference to FIG. 8.

This sequence is the same as that of the conventional example shown in FIG. 2 as far as the operation of the transmitting side analyzing a descriptor and performing a GET transfer request. However, there are some differences when the transmitted packet is a memory write request packet, and is not a memory read request packet, where a node ID, a channel ID and a packet type PT are set in the address field of a packet as explained before, and where a channel ID of the packet transfer source is set in the tag field. A PCI-Express switch transmits a packet to a receiving side while routing a packet according to an address routing of the PCI-Express specification as in the conventional examples.

The receiving side identifies the packet as a request packet from the packet type, and determines that the GET transfer reception channel is used from the channel ID, identifying the packet as a GET transfer. Subsequent, steps of reading out data from memory, and transmitting read out data are the same as those of the conventional example described in FIG. 2. There is a difference in that the transmitted packet is a memory write request packet, and is not a response packet. However, in this case, the packet type is set as a response in the header of the memory write request packet. A request transmitting side module is identified from a requester ID of a previously received memory write request packet, the corresponding node ID is set as a destination. A channel ID set to the tag field is used for the channel ID. Although the packet is semantically a response, the PCI-Express switch identifies the packet as a request packet, and therefore, it transmits a packet to a transmitting side while routing the packet according to the address routing of the PCI-Express specification.

The transmitting side identifies that the packet type is a response and that the packet is a response to a GET request from the GET transfer transmitting channel ID included in the address field, and terminates the process after writing the read data to memory.

Next, a PUT transfer sequence of the present invention for performing a memory write request is explained with reference to FIG. 9.

This sequence is the same as that of the conventional example shown in FIG. 3 until the transmitting side transmits a memory write request packet after analyzing a descriptor and makes a PUT transfer request, except for the settings in the address field and the tag field. The PCI-Express switch transmits a packet while routing the packet according to the address routing of the PCI-Express specification as in the conventional example.

The receiving side identifies the packet as a request packet from the packet type, and determines that PUT transfer reception channel is used from the channel ID, identifying the packet as a PUT transfer. Then the receiving side writes the transmitted data to memory.

Up until this step, the sequence is the same as that of a conventional PUT transfer; however, in the present invention, a function to respond with a response packet using a memory write request packet is incorporated into the hardware, for example. Because the PCI-Express switch replies to the transmitting side with a memory write request packet of which a packet type is set as a response, it identifies the packet as a request packet, and transfers the packet to the transmitting side while routing a packet according to the address routing of the PCI-Express specification. However, because the address field of the received packet contains a PUT transfer transmitting channel ID, the transmitting side can identify the packet as a response to the memory write request made by its own node.

Next, the embodiments of the present invention are explained with reference to FIG. 10-FIG. 18.

In the present embodiments, a DMA chip in a central control module CM realizes the communication method of the present invention in a PCI-Express communication system (200) in which up to eight central control modules CM for controlling all operations of each subsystem perform intercommunication via a PCI-Express switch.

The system configuration of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 10 is a communication system comprising eight central control modules CM#0 (20)-CM#7 (27) for controlling all operations in each subsystem and two front end routers FRT#0 (71) and FRT#1 (72), and the central control module nodes are connected via the PCI-Express switches (61 and 62) of the front end routers.

Node ID=0 through 7 are assigned in order from CM#0 to central control module nodes. A central control module comprises, as shown in FIG. 10, duplicated CPU#0 (51) and CPU#1 (52), a DMA chip (30) for offering a communication method between the central control module nodes, and a memory control hub MCH (40) for controlling data transfer between the DMA chip (30) and the CPU#0 (51), the CPU#1 (52) and memory, not shown in FIG. 10.

The front end router FRT#0 (71) and FRT#1 (72) constitutes duplicated front end routers. Each of the front end routers FRT#0 (71) and FRT#1 (72), and each of the central control modules CM#0-CM#7 is connected by four PCI-Express 2.5 GHz lines as shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 11 describes an internal configuration of a DMA chip (30).

As shown in FIG. 11, the DMA chip (30) comprises a PCI-Express interface control unit (311) at the south port that is located on a PCI-Express switch side, and a PCI-Express interface control unit (312) at the north port that is located on a CPU side. It also comprises a packet control unit (321) and a packet control unit (322) corresponding to each of the PCI-Express interface control unit (311) and the PCI-Express interface control unit (312), respectively. It additionally comprises a message-receiving channel (331), a PUT receiving channel (341), a GET receiving channel (351), transfer buffers (361, 370, 362), a message-transmitting channel (332), a PUT receiving channel (342), and a GET transmitting channel (352).

There are two channels of the message-receiving channel (331), eight channels of the message transmitting channel (332), five channels of the PUT transmitting channel (342), four channels of the GET transmitting channel (352), and one channel is provided for each of the PUT receiving channel (341) and the GET receiving channel (351).

The transfer buffer (361) is used for data transfer from the south port side to the north port side, and the transfer buffer (362) is used for data transfer from the north port side to the south port side. The transfer buffer (370) is used for loop back from the north port side.

A solid line represents a control line (REQ), which indicates a direction of a request notification, a dotted line represents a control line (CMP), which indicates a direction of a request completion notification, and a bold line represents a data line. An outlined arrow represents a PCI-header line, and lines TX and RX connected to the PCI-Express interface control units (311 and 312) represent PCI-Express transmission and reception lines.

In the example shown in FIG. 11, the north port side also employs the PCI-Express; however, the north port side is not necessarily required to employ the PCI-Express because the present invention is applied to the south port side.

FIG. 12 shows an example of the channel ID of the channels shown in FIG. 11.

In the following description, an example of data transfer in the present embodiments is explained. Some descriptions are the same as the description in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 and those descriptions are omitted to avoid redundancy.

FIG. 13 is a diagram explaining an example of the PUT transfer from a central control module CM#0 with the node ID 0 to the central control module CM#7 with the node ID 7. Here, the operations on the response side are the same as the operations explained in FIG. 9, and therefore, the description is omitted.

(1) The CPU of the central control module CM#0 instructs the PUT transmitting channel of a DMA chip to start a PUT transfer. (2) The DMA chip of the central control module CM#0 converts the bit ([62:85] (the node ID field) in the address field of the transmitting packet header to 7, which is the node ID of the central control module CM#7, transfers data to the south port side, and then, transmits it as a memory write request packet. (3) The PCI-Express switch analyzes a transmitting destination address, and transfers a packet to the corresponding address. (4) The DMA chip of the central control module CM#7 receives the packet from the south port side, confirms the correspondence between the node ID in the packet and the its own node ID, and informs the PUT receiving channel of the reception of the packet.

Next, with reference to FIG. 14, the operation of the transmitting side channel in the above PUT transfer example is explained. A bold arrow in FIG. 14 indicates an operation where the DMA chip becomes a master, and a solid line arrow indicates an operation where the CPU becomes the master. An arrow with a dotted line indicates an interrupt.

(1) The CPU creates a descriptor for a PUT transfer, and writes it to a descriptor area in the memory. Fifteen 32-byte areas are provided in the example shown in FIG. 14. (2) The CPU instructs the DMA chip to start the PUT transfer. (3) The DMA chip reads out descriptor data from the descriptor area in the memory. (4) The DMA chip analyzes the descriptor and reads out data from the data area which the address designates as the transmitting source of the memory. (5) The DMA chip transfers the read data to the south port side, waits for a completion notice from the DMA chip of the transfer destination, and receives a response from the other end. (6) The DMA chip updates a completion pointer of the descriptor, and writes a pointer value (a descriptor termination pointer) to a descriptor termination pointer area on the memory. (7) The DMA chip interrupts the CPU in order to notify the CPU of the transfer termination. (8) The CPU releases the interrupt and clears a termination code as a fixing operation of the termination pointer.

Next, the operation of the receiving channel in the above PUT transfer example is explained with reference to FIG. 15.

(1) The CPU activates the PUT receiving channel, and instructs the DMA chip to start the transfer. (Only performed the first time) (2) The DMA chip receives data from the south port side. (3) The DMA chip transfers the received data to the north port side and writes the data to the memory. (4) The DMA chip returns a response packet to the south port side.

FIG. 16 is a diagram explaining an example of a GET transfer from the central control module CM#0 with the node ID 0 to the central control module CM#7 with the node ID 7.

(1) The CPU of the central control module CM#0 instructs the GET transmitting channel of the DMA chip to start the GET transfer. (2) The DMA chip of the central control module CM#0 converts the bit [62:85] (the node ID field) in the address field of the transmitting packet header to 7, which is the node ID of the central control module CM#7, transfers data to the south port side, and then, transmits it as a memory write request packet. (3) The PCI-Express switch analyzes a transmitting destination address, and transfers a packet to the corresponding address. (4) The DMA chip of the central control module CM#7 receives the packet from the south port side, confirms the correspondence between the node ID in the packet and its own node ID, and informs the GET receiving channel of the confirmation. (5) The DMA chip of the central control module CM#7 reads out data from the memory of its own central control module, transfers the data to the south port side, and transmits the data as a memory write request packet. (6) The PCI-Express switch analyzes the transmitting destination address, and transfers the packet to the corresponding address. (7) The GET transmitting channel in the DMA chip of the central control module CM#0 receives GET data from the south port side, and transfers the data to the north port side.

Next, the operation of the transmitting side channel in the above GET transfer example is explained with reference to FIG. 17.

(1) The CPU creates a descriptor for a GET transfer, and writes it to a descriptor area in the memory. (2) The CPU instructs the DMA chip to start the GET transfer. (3) The DMA chip reads out descriptor data from the descriptor area in the memory. (4) The DMA chip analyzes the descriptor and makes a GET data request to the DMA chip at the other end. (5) The DMA chip receives the GET data from the south port side, and transfers the data to the north port. (6) The DMA chip updates a completion pointer of the descriptor, and writes a pointer value (a descriptor termination pointer) to a descriptor termination pointer area in the memory. (7) The DMA chip interrupts the CPU in order to notify the CPU of the transfer termination. (8) The CPU releases the interruption and clears a termination code as a fixing operation of the termination pointer.

Next, the operation of the receiving channel in the above PUT transfer example is explained with reference to FIG. 18.

(1) The CPU activates the GET receiving channel, and instructs the DMA chip to start the transfer. (Only performed the first time) (2) The DMA chip receives a GET request from the south port side. (3) The DMA chip reads data from the memory of its own central control module CM. (4) The DMA chip transfers the GET data to the south port side.

As explained above, in the PCI-Express communication system of the present invention, only a memory write request packet routed according to the address routing of the PCI-Express specification is employed for data transfer, and therefore, even in an occurrence of ID replacement due to a route complex failure, a response can be returned in a normal manner.

Also, a response packet can be returned regardless of the operations of the PCI-Express switch or the command types, a command issue source module can securely acquire information regarding whether the data transfer terminated in a normal manner or not.

Next, the mode shift of the packet transmitted by each transmission channel of the transmitting side DMA chip is explained with reference to FIG. 19.

A channel is activated by CPU in a power-ON or reset state of the device shown in the state S10 of FIG. 19, and the state shifts to the state S11 in which a packet (clean packet) set to bit [41] (clean) as 1 is transmitted, instructing the initiation of the internal information to the receiving side DMA chip.

When the response packet of the clean packet is received, the state shifts to a data transfer start state (S1), 1 is set to bit [44], and the packet is transmitted as the First Transfer packet. If the packet transmission is only a single packet, the packet is also the last data transfer. The First Transfer packet has 1 set to bit [43] by the last data transfer of the state S14, and the packet is transmitted as the Last Transfer packet.

When a plurality of packets are transmitted, the state shifts to the state S13 in which data is being transferred, and the Request Response packet is transmitted after 1 is set to the bit [42]. When the last packet is transmitted, 1 is set to the bit [43] in the last data transmission in the state S14, and the packet is transmitted as the Last Transfer packet.

When the response packet is received after the last data transfer (S14), the state shifts to the state S15 where the state is the transfer end state, and waits for activation by the CPU. When the CPU reactivates the channel, the state shifts to the state S12, and the state shift via the above processing is repeated.

When an error occurs in the states S12, S13 and S14, the state shifts to the state S16, “occurrence of error”, and a packet (clean packet) with 1 being set to the bit [41] (clean) is transmitted. When the response packet of the clean packet is received, the state shifts to the state S17, which is the transfer end state, and waits for activation by the CPU.

In response to the activation by CPU in the state S17, the state shifts to the state S11 and begins data transfer after retransmitting the clean packet.

FIG. 20 shows a request packet receiving process flow in each receiving channel of the receiving side DMA chip.

Each receiving channel of the receiving side DMA chip, when receiving a request packet, first confirms whether the bit [41] (clean) of the mode part is 1 or not in step S30. If 1 is confirmed, the processing proceeds to step S31 where the internal information is cleared and processing moves on to the response packet transmission.

When the determination in step S30 is that it is not a clean packet, the bit [44] of the mode part is checked in step S32, and whether it is a First Transfer or not is confirmed. If it is the First Transfer, the processing proceeds to step S33, and it is determined whether the current state is in the midst of the transfer of the series of packets or not. If the current state is not in the midst of the transfer, the processing proceeds to step S36. If the current state is in the midst of the transfer, then the state is not consistent with the First Transfer and the process moves to step S40. A status code is set to the bit [31:16] of the address part of the response packet, and the state moves to the transmission processing of the error response packet.

If the determination in step S32 is that it is not the First Transfer, the processing proceeds to step S34, and whether or not the current state is in the midst of the transfer of the series of packets is determined. If the state is not in the midsts of the transfer, the result is not consistent with the determination of step S32 that the packet is not the First Transfer, and hence, the processing proceeds to step S40 and sets a status code to the bit [31:16] of the address part of the response packet, and the processing moves to the transmission processing of the error response packet.

If the series of packets are being transferred, the processing proceeds to step S35, and the sequence code of the bit [50:46] of the address part is confirmed. If the sequence code has an abnormality, the processing moves to step S40 and sets a status code to the bit [31:16] of the address part of the response packet, and the processing moves to the transmission processing of the error response packet. If the sequence code is normal, the processing proceeds to step S36; however, if the MSG transfer is occurring, the extended sequence code of the address part bit [39:32] is confirmed via step S35M. As a result of the confirmation, if the extended sequence code has an abnormality, the processing moves to step S40 and sets a status code to the bit [31:16] of the address part of the response packet, and the processing moves to the transmission processing of the error response packet. If the extended sequence code is normal, the processing proceeds to step S36.

In step S36, the bit [43] of the mode part is checked and whether the packet is the Last Transfer or not is confirmed. If the packet is the Last Transfer, it is determined that the packet is the last of the series of packets in step S37, and if it is not the Last Transfer, the processing proceeds to step S38.

In step S38, it is identified that the received request packet is a correct packet, and the processing is performed.

Next, the processing proceeds to step S39, the bit [42] of the mode part is checked to confirm whether or not the series of packets are Request Responses, each of which requires a response packet. If the packets are Request Responses, the processing moves to the transmission processing of the response packets, and if they are not, the processing is ended.

Next, a response packet receiving processing flow in each transmitting channel of the transmitting side DMA chip is explained with reference to FIG. 21.

Each transmitting channel of the transmitting side DMA chip, when receiving a response packet, first confirms whether the bit [41] (clean) of the mode part is 1 or not in step S20, and if it is 1, the processing proceeds to step S21 to confirm that the current state is the clean packet transmitting state. If the state is not the clean packet transmitting state, the processing moves to the error processing, and if the state is the clean packet transmitting state, the processing proceeds to step S22 to confirm the sequence code of the bit [50:46] of the address part. If the address part has any abnormalities, the processing moves to the error processing, and if the address part is normal, the flow ends in a normal manner.

If the determination in step S20 shows that the packet is not a clean packet, the bit [44] of the mode part is checked in step S23 to confirm whether the packet is the First Transfer. If the packet is the First Transfer, the processing proceeds to step S24 and determines whether the current state is in the midst of the transfer of the series of packets or not. If the state is not in the midst the transfer, the processing proceeds to step S26, and if the state is in the midst of the transfer, the determination is not consistent with being the First Transfer, and the processing therefore moves to error processing.

If the determination in step S23 is not the First Transfer, the processing proceeds to step S25, and it is determined whether the current state is in the midst of the transfer of the series of packets or not. If the state is not in the midst of the transfer, the determination is not consistent with the result of step S23 that the packet is not the First Transfer, and the processing moves to the error processing.

If the state is in the midst of the transfer of the series of packets, the processing proceeds to step S26, the sequence code of the bit [50:46] of the address part is confirmed, and if the sequence code has any abnormalities, the processing moves to the error processing. If the sequence code is normal, the processing proceeds to step S27; however, in the case of the GET transfer, the extended sequence code of the bit [11:03] of the address part is confirmed via step S26G. If the extended sequence code has any abnormalities the processing moves to the error processing. If it is normal, the processing proceeds to step S27.

In step S27, the bit [43] of the mode part is checked to confirm that the packet is the Last Transfer. If the packet is the Last Transfer, the processing proceeds to step S28 to confirm that the current state is the Last Transfer packet transmitting state, and if the state is not the Last Transfer packet transmitting state, the processing moves to the error processing.

If the determination in step S27 is such that the packet is not the Last Transfer or the determination in step S28 shows that it is the Last Transfer packet transmitting state, the processing proceeds to step S29 and confirms the status code of the bit [31:16] of the address part. If the status code is all zero, the processing ends in a normal manner, the status code has a bit other than zero, and the processing moves to the error processing. 

1. A PCI-Express communication system, which uses a PCI-Express switch carrying out packet transfer by connecting a plurality of modules, comprising: setting a unique node ID for each of a plurality of the modules for indicating each module, as well as setting a channel ID for each channel used for data transfer; setting in an address field of a packet for data transfer, the node ID of a transfer destination module, the channel ID of the channel used for the data transfer, a packet type to indicate whether the packet is a request or a response type packet, and a sequence code indicating the sequence number of a packet in a series of packet transfers; and using a memory write request packet to be routed according to a PCI-Express switch address routing for the data transfer, wherein the transfer destination module checks whether the packet is received in the correct order or not based on the sequence code.
 2. The PCI-Express communication system according to claim 1, wherein when replying with a response packet in response to the packet received by the transfer destination module, a sequence code that is the same as the sequence code of the received packet is set in the response packet, and a reply destination module of the response packet checks whether the response packet was transferred in the correct order based on the sequence code.
 3. The PCI-Express communication system according to claim 2, wherein an identification bit indicating whether the packet is the first packet or the last packet in a series of packet transfers is further set in an address part of the packet for data transfer, and the transfer destination module and the reply destination module check the logical consistency between the identification bit and the sequence code.
 4. The PCI-Express communication system according to claim 3, wherein a clean bit flag for instructing the ending a series of packet transfers and the clearing of internal information that is a set of information required for transferring or receiving a series of packets in each module is further set in the address part of the packet for data transfer, and a module detecting an error as a result of the check of the logical consistency instructs a module in the other side to end the series of packet transfers and clear the internal information via the clean bit flag.
 5. A PCI-Express communications method, which uses a PCI-Express switch carrying out packet transfer by connecting a plurality of modules, comprising: setting a unique node ID to each of a plurality of the modules for indicating every module, as well as setting a channel ID to each channel used for data transfer; setting in an address field of a packet for data transfer, the node ID of a transfer destination module, the channel ID of the channel used for the data transfer, a packet type to indicate a request or a response type packet, and a sequence code indicating the sequence number of a packet in a series of packet transfers; responding with a response packet when the packet type is a request; and using a memory write request packet to be routed according to PCI-Express switch address routing for the data transfer, wherein the transfer destination module checks whether the packet is received in the correct order or not based on the sequence code.
 6. The PCI-Express communication method according to claim 5, wherein when replying with a response packet in response to the packet received by the transfer destination module, a sequence code that is the same as the sequence code of the received packet is set in the response packet, and a reply destination module of the response packet checks whether the response packet was transferred in the correct order based on the sequence code.
 7. The PCI-Express communication method according to claim 6, wherein an identification bit indicating whether the packet is the first packet or the last packet in a series of packet transfers is further set in an address part of the packet for data transfer, and the transfer destination module and the reply destination module check the logical consistency between the identification bit and the sequence code.
 8. The PCI-Express communication method according to claim 7, wherein a clean bit flag for instructing the ending a series of packet transfers and the clearing of internal information that is a set of information required for transferring or receiving a series of packets in each module is further set in the address part of the packet for data transfer, and a module detecting an error as a result of the check of the logical consistency instructs a module in the other side to end the series of packet transfers and clear the internal information via the clean bit flag.
 9. A module of a PCI-Express communication system, which uses a PCI-Express switch carrying out packet transfer, comprising: setting a unique node ID identifying it from a plurality of the modules of the system, as well as setting a channel ID to each channel used for data transfer; setting in an address field of a packet for data transfer, the node ID of a transfer destination module, the channel ID of the channel used for the data transfer, a packet type indicating a request or a response type packet, and a sequence code indicating the sequence number of a packet in a series of packet transfers; using a memory write request packet to be routed according to PCI-Express switch address routing for the data transfer; and checking whether the packet is received in the correct order or not based on the sequence code when the module is a transfer destination module.
 10. The module of a PCI-Express communication system according to claim 9, wherein when replying with a response packet in response to the packet received by the transfer destination module, a sequence code that is the same as the sequence code of the received packet is set in the response packet, and a reply destination module of the response packet checks whether the response packet was transferred in the correct order based on the sequence code.
 11. The module of a PCI-Express communication system, according to claim 10, wherein an identification bit indicating whether the packet is the first packet or the last packet in a series of packet transfers is further set in an address part of the packet for data transfer, and the transfer destination module and the reply destination module check for logical consistency between the identification bit and the sequence code.
 12. The module of a PCI-Express communication system according to claim 11, wherein a clean bit flag for instructing the ending a series of packet transfers and the clearing of internal information that is a set of information required for transferring or receiving a series of packets in each module is further set in the address part of the packet for data transfer, and a module detecting an error as a result of the check of the logical consistency instructs a module in the other side to end the series of packet transfers and clear the internal information via the clean bit flag. 